How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization

Soccer is much more than a game, or even a way of life. It is a perfect window into the crosscurrents of today’s world, with all it’s joys and sorrows. Soccer clubs don’t represent geographic areas; they stand for social classes and political ideologies, and often command more faith than religion. Unline baseball or tennis, soccer is freighted with the weight of ancient hatreds and history. It’s a sport with real stakes – one that is capable of ruining regimes and launching liberation movements.